A MAD Day at CFL!
By Esther Smith
So what’s new, regular supporters and followers of our website might think. CFL has had a mad day!
But this was a MAD Day .. a Make a Difference Day, the first day of its kind for a new scheme which is part of CFL’s Being There (housing support) Project.
For some considerable time, our support workers have been battling to find the time and materials to be able to help some of those whom they support to transform their accommodation from what can be somewhat poor conditions into a nicely decorated, welcoming home, painted in the colours of that person’s choice.
Helping someone to take pride in their home and to feel that they have been able to put their own “stamp” on it, is a crucial part of helping a person to develop self respect, a desire to look after their home and indeed to feel that their accommodation really is ‘home’.
Also crucial is the encouragement of that person to be fully involved in preparing the flat or house for decorating, and in helping with the work.
Early March saw our first MAD Day, an eight-hour challenge to improve the home of someone in our care. Neil had spent a week preparing his house for decorating and was totally involved in the makeover.
The clock started ticking at 9am and Neil, with his support worker, Tim (pictured left), accompanied by a volunteer, David, and another David, a Time For Jesus volunteer, descended on Neil’s house with paint brushes, rollers and trays.
Paint had been donated by a community paint store, with Neil able to choose the colours he wanted. Some money raised by CFL’s Alternative Christmas Gifts scheme had been used to buy curtain rails and curtains had been donated. In addition a carpet had been donated.
Within eight hours, due to very hard work by all concerned, Neil had a newly redecorated lounge, bedroom and hallway, with new curtains and blinds up and a new carpet in his bedroom. The transformation was wonderful and it truly was a Make a Difference Day!
All in a day’s work, but the first of what we hope will be many CFL MAD Days!
